10 Most Disappointing Villains From Recent Horror Movies

We all know the comparison between Darth Maul and the Lipstick-Face Demon, with their devilish red and black face markings and yellow eyes giving them an instantaneously iconic look and plenty of nightmare fuel for children and adults alike. The latter is simply one of the most iconic horror villains of the 21st century and gave us one of the most iconic jump scares in horror history.

Portrayed by Joseph Bishara since 2010's Insidious from director James Wan, the first instalment sees the Demon appropriately insidiously finding his way from a dark realm of tortured souls called the Further to briefly possessing the body of young Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins). Bishara also provides the series' heart-stopping, horrifying music scores. The man sure does love this genre.

Following some minor cameo appearances in the franchise's various sequels and prequels, the marionette-loving evil entity returned as the headline antagonist in 2023's Insidious: The Red Door, serving as a culmination of the Lambert family saga.

Unfortunately, it's essentially an underwhelming facsimile of the original film.

Dalton is again possessed by the Demon and chained up in his ostentatious lair, being tortured by the sound of Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Tiny Tim. The Man With Fire On His Face pops up for a standout jump scare when strangling Dalton's college roommate, Chris (Sinclair Daniel), there's a bloody handprint on a bedsheet, and Dalton is again saved by his father Josh (Patrick Wilson, who also directed the film). 

There's no exhibition of violent power from the Demon, à la the séance scene from 2010, that you'd expect from a final showdown. The only hint of frightening ferociousness we get is when he smashes through the Red Door, only to be promptly stopped by Dalton, who paints over his painting of said door in the real world. Honestly, watching it dry may well be more thrilling.